Samsung 45mm vs Rokinon 85mm?

causey wrote:

Please check the second paragraph of the reply I wrote right after you asked me.

I'm sorry.  Thank you.  I thought it was more about DOF and focal length so I skipped over it (I've grown tired of DOF arguments since I've heard them over and over again, and yes, I think you are right).

causey wrote:

I can't make 'absolute' recommendations, but I can tell you what I'd do if I were you.

The 85mm is a bokeh/ effect lens. It isn't a street/ action lens. You can use it for portraits, landscapes, flowers, etc. Much nicer isolation and bokeh than the 45mm.

I hear the 45mm has fast AF: it's a much more versatile lens than the 85mm. Good for portraits, landscapes, streets... Still, for street photo, it isn't the best. If you want a good AF lens for streets and everyday use, the 30mm is the way to go. 45mm will be a bit too narrow in many circumstances, and for portraits 85mm is nicer than 45mm.

Besides, there are countless legacy fifty lenses with great bokeh, which you can use with a cheap adapter. I recommend Pentax M 50mm 1.7 (f1.4 is better, but more expensive), Chinon 50mm 1.8, Sears/ Ricoh 50mm 1.7. There are lots and lots of nice and cheap 50mm in m42 mount--but generally heavier than the ones in Pentax mount.

In fact, this is what I have: the 30mm/2, the Rokinon 85mm/1.4, and a Mamiya/Sekor (m42) 55mm/1.8.

Thanks.  It seems the the 45mm is a great overall lens that doesn't quite excel at any one thing but is competent in many areas whereas the 85mm Rokinon excels at one thing but isn't very useful at others.

Fair generalization?

causey wrote:

Thanks. It seems the the 45mm is a great overall lens that doesn't quite excel at any one thing but is competent in many areas whereas the 85mm Rokinon excels at one thing but isn't very useful at others.

Fair generalization?

Yes.

You might want to look at pics taken with each lens:

samyang 85mm: https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=relevance&text=samyang%2085mm

NX 45mm: https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=relevance&text=nx%2045mm

That was a great idea.  Thanks.

I'm leaning towards the 85mm Rokinon now.  It just seems to have a bit more of that wow factor.

Kaziklu, sorry, but the shot on the right obviously has more distortion. The distortion that Samsung corrects for is not the same kind of distortion that we are observing here.

They correct optical distortion, in particular radial: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(optics)

They do zero about perspective distortion (which is why the reason the rule exists), and nor should they: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_distortion_(photography)

As a result, the central portion of the image is more exaggerated in the image on the right, solely because you have to stand closer to get the same kind of tight framing. If you stand where you would with the 60 (but using the 30) and crop to make the same framing, that would give you the same perspective distortion.

Sounds like the 45 will be good for you. If you're further back then the distortion won't really be a concern and the fast AF on the 45 is great for that.

ttbek wrote:

Kaziklu, sorry, but the shot on the right obviously has more distortion. The distortion that Samsung corrects for is not the same kind of distortion that we are observing here.

They correct optical distortion, in particular radial: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distortion_(optics)

They do zero about perspective distortion (which is why the reason the rule exists), and nor should they: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_distortion_(photography)

As a result, the central portion of the image is more exaggerated in the image on the right, solely because you have to stand closer to get the same kind of tight framing. If you stand where you would with the 60 (but using the 30) and crop to make the same framing, that would give you the same perspective distortion.

Yes but it isn't to the level people suggest. (she is also closer which pushes it further. I didn't have a perfect like to like example)

Which is why I said to some Extent.

there is distortion in both. 85 would be better than either of course, but the 30 isn't so bad. The 45 will be better and on APS-C perfectly acceptable for the kind of shooting the OP is asking.

if I were doing headshots/portraits the 60, 85 or 50-150 would be better. 
the Samsung 20 would be bad. but 20 to 30 is actually a large jump. after that the jumps are fairly minor a ff 70 to 135 is noticeable but really only side by side for most people. So for the purpose of the thread it isn't a huge deal.